Last



H. T. WRIGHT AND W. A. BROWN.

LAST.

APPLICATION FILED IAN.26,1920.

1 370 574; Patented Mar. 8, 1921.

L Invento j f m7 Walk-.0 am, rrur a 2; "10 rrwli UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY 'r. WRIGHT, or ROCKLAND, AND WALTER A. BROWN, or BROOK-TON, MASSA- cnusn'r'rs.

LAST.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 8, 1921.

Application filed January 26, 1920. Serial No. 354,190.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, HARRY T. lVRronr and W'ALrnn A. BROWN, citizens of the United States, residing at- Rockland and and Brockton, respectively, in the county 01 Plymouth and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lasts, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to lasts. More particularly it relates to means for preventing the creeping, wrinkling or yielding of the edge of an inner sole while it is tacked or otherwise fastened on the last during the process of shoe making.

In the art of making shoes as at present practised it is a common experience that the pulling over operation or the bed machine operation causes the edge of inner sole to be pushed back a little from the edge of the last, wrinkling it or pushin it sidewise, the latter being particularly likely to happen during the welting operation, so that the finished shoe fails of perfect form and is more or less bulgy and uneven either at the tip or on one side of the toe or in theseam. It is an object of the present invention to make the toe perfect in these respects, by preventing wrinkling or slipping of the edge portions of the inner sole, and to make theoperation of the later machines uniform and accurately proper as regards margin of trimming and stitching, with the result of enabling the workman of ordinary skill, and with only ordinary care and without additional cost for labor or on the operation, to produce a regular quality of shoe equal to that which hitherto has been pos sible only by the craft of an unusually skilled workman carried out with extraordinary care. Super-added to this, an advantage of the invention found in practice is that the superior results stated can be obtained with a thinner inner sole, enough to make a material reouction in cost of shoes. These results are attained by providing the device which is herein termed a stabilizer. This can be made in various ways, one of which is shown for illustration as an arrangement of spurs close to the edge of the last at the toe, surrounding the tack or other fastening by which the inner sole is there held to the last, so arranged that they become embedded in the inner sole and prevent the latter fromslipping back from the edge of the last when a push is exerted upon the inner solo, from those edges, by the various operations of lasting, and pointing forward so that the last can be removed from the inner solo by pulling to the rear. The points being so close to the edge that the leather is neither compressed nor wrinkled at the edge of the inner sole, which is held in precise registry with the edge of the last, the fastenings of the upper and welt thus. are uniform with respect to the last instead of being more or less irregular as often heretofore; and the subsequent operations, following from this, make the lines and margins of the finished shoe automatically correct, uniform and perfect. Although only one illustrative embodiment of the invention is here shown, many variations may be made. It is intended that the patent shall cover by suitable expression in the appended claims whatever features of patentable novelty exist in the invention disclosed.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a toe plate of a last embodying the invention; Fig. 2 a side elevation in medial section; Figs. 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 show successive stages on an enlarged scale. Figs. 8 and 9 are a plan and modification; and Fig. 10 an elevation of another modification.

Referring to the drawings, 10 indicates a portion of a wooden last having in its toe portion a plate 11 which may serve the functions ofthe customary toe plate and may be shaped or secured thereto in any ordinary or suitable manner, as by screws 12, and which may have a hole 13 through which the inner sole may be tacked to the last as is customary, although the last may be provided with any other means that may be desired for holding the inner sole thereon. As represented in the drawing the inner sole is marked 14 and is held by tacks 15. The toe plate 11 is provided with spurs 16, of which five are shown, formed by being upset from the metal of the plate itself and being preferably triangular in shape, with a broad base integral with the toe plate and with points directed forward at an incline and sharpened sufficiently to enter the leather of the inner sole. These spurs are set near the edge of the plate and do not necessarily rise above its surface enough to enter the inner sole more than a short distance, although if preferred they may bemade to go nearly they are inclined. In fact it is preferable that they be capable of entering in a direction normal to the surface of the last as this permits the inner sole to be secured and tacked in its proper place on the last by ordinary methods, after which with a hammer the inner sole may be driven down on these spurs so that they are sufiiciently embedded in it and so that the inner sole lies flat on the toe plate. But while the inner sole is thus applied and might, before the shoe is made, he removed in the direction perpendicular to the surface, the spurs are so shaped and set that the normal and customary direction of removal is by withdrawing the last from the inner sole in the inclined direction in which the spurs project. WVhen in use they constitute abutments against which those parts of the inner sole which are in front of them or beside them are pressed and whereon they find a firm stabilizing sup port during the operations of the lasting machinery including the pulling over and the wiping. After these operations they serve a similar purpose during the welting operation; and when the toe tack of the in-- ner sole is pulled from the last the stabilizer, remaining embedded in the sole, holds it in its perfect position on the last and makes more perfect the work done in later operations, including the rough rounding wherein the rounder is by means of the stabilizer assured of getting a uniform edge. Because of the perfect condition in which the parts are assembled and fastened thus far, the Goodyear stitcher machine is able to do a more perfect job and with the sole coming up to meet the welt rather than forcing the welt down to meet the sole. In all of this no additional labor is required; the operations of the tacking, the pulling over and the wiping serve to embed the spurs more and more firmly in the leather; and on account of the angle at which the points of the stabilizer are made no additional effort is noticed, nor anybad effect, in the pulling of the last or in the appearance or condition of the inner sole of the finished shoe. It has moreover been found by experience that with ordinary skill and equal attention of the workman, a better shoe is made even when a thinner inner sole is used than is now ordinarily used and considered necessary, the greater thickness being customarily used in order to have the inner sole thick and still enough to resist the said machine operations.

The stabilizer may be variously constructed. It is illustrated as spurs integral with a toe plate. This however is not neces sary, as spurs may be set in the wood of the toe of the last. Moreover the spurs are not necessarily few and separated as in Figs. 1

and 2, but the sole engaging means may be of some other variety, as, for example, a surface having a multiplicityof small teeth 16' (Figs. 8, 9,) or even sandpaper 16" (Fig. 10) but in every case the arrangement should be such that engaging means is removable from the sole toward the rear, when the last-is pulled from the shoe.

In the form preferred the blank of plate 11 is made in a punching press which cuts the same to form, cuts a large hole 13 for the tack that is to fasten the sole, cuts small holes 17 through the plate at the point of each spur, and cuts two sides forming the blank triangle 16 with blunt tip which is to constitute each spur, displacing each said triangle fromthe body of the sheet of metal. by bending up the point thereof. Said points may then be sharpened, if desired, as by grinding on a wheel, or filing, making the form 16 and the toe plate is then ready to be used in a last. The last maker in fitting theplate to the toe of the last pounds the spurs back into smoothness with general curvature of the plate as at 16 so that the whole is smooth and the last can conveniently be finished and polished. Thereafter by a suitable tool inserted through each hole 17, the point 16 therein can be pried and bent upward to the desired incline which,

may vary considerably according to preference, 45 being illustrated, and can be fastened there, to prevent its returning, by the driving of a tack 18 under it into the wood in a direction parallel to its under surface. The incline is preferably thus fixed in about the same direction as the direction in which the toe of the last moves when it is pulled from the shoe.

Prying up of the point of the spur is facilitated if there be a shallow hole drilled in the wood of the last under it as at 19. it may be expected that the spurs will grow dull with use and with handling to which lasts are ordinarily subjected. This may be cor-- rected easily by re-sharpening the spurs by filing or grinding. And when these are worn out other spurs which have been left- .in the plate in blank form from the beginning, in the form of 16 or 16, can be bent up and set for use.

The distinction. is to be noted that the means employed for fastening the sole on the last, such as tacks, do not serve the purpose of the stabilizer, because such means are not and cannot practically be located close to theedge where the points of the is adapted for the sole to be secured to it, and in addition has, near the edges of its bottom surface, a plurality. of projections from said surface arranged to pierce the tread face of the insole, thereby preventing longitudinal and transverse shifting of the edges thereof relative to the edges of said bottom surface, and arranged to point uniformly in a direction whereby they are adapted to be withdrawn from the insole uniformly by initial withdrawal movement of the last as a unit from the shoe.

2. A making last having at its toe portion a plurality of unyielding projections extending from its bottom surface near the edges thereof, constructed and arranged to pierce the tread face of the insole and thus to prevent longitudinal and transverse shift of the edges of the toe thereof relative to the last, said projections being arranged pointing uniformly and pointing approximately in the direction opposite to that of the initial withdrawal movement of the last as a unit from the shoe.

The combination, with a making last adapted to fill the toe of a shoe, removable therefrom as a unit, and arranged to receive means for securing the sole to the last, of a plurality of rigid spurs projecting from the bottom surface of the last and adapted to pierce edge portions of the tread face of the sole and thus to prevent the movement of said edge portions inward from the edge of the last.

4. The combination, with a making last adapted to fill the toe of a shoe, removable therefrom as a unit, and arranged to receive means for securing the sole to the last, of a plurality of rigid spurs projecting from the bottom surface of the last and adapted to pierce edge portions of the tread face of the sole and thus to prevent the movement of said edge portions inward from the edge of the last, said spurs all having backs sloping to the rear portion of the surface of the last from which they project.

5. The combination, with a making last adapted to fill the toe of a shoe, removable tierefrom as a unit, and arranged to receive means for securing the sole to the last, o a rigid spur projecting from the bottom surface of the last and adapted to pierce the edge portion of the tread face of the insole forward of the said securing means and close to the edge at the point of the toe, in the position which the edge of the upper overlies when lasted, thereby preventing movement of the edge of the insole inward from the edge of the last; said spur being adapted for becoming disengaged from the insole by the withdrawal movement of the last as a unit from the shoe.

6. A plate arranged to be secured fast on the bottom of the toe portion of the last and having one or more spurs struck up therefrom near the edge, adapted to engage the sole and obstruct movement of the edge portion thereof inward from the edge of the last.

7. A plate arranged to be secured fast on the bottom of the toe portion of the last and having one or more spurs struck up therefrom near the edge, said spurs being adapted to engage the sole and obstruct movement of the edge portion thereof inward from the edge of the last; and said plate having holes through it at the points of the spurs.

8. A plate arranged to be secured fast on the bottom of the toe portion of the last and having one or more spurs struck up therefrom near the edge, said spurs being adapted to engage the sole and obstruct movement of the edge portion thereof inward from the edge of the last, and a prop driven into the last under and supporting each spur.

9. A method of making an insole retaining last comprising the making of a plate to lit the. toe of the last with points set out from the surface of the plate; securing the same on the last; forming it as a part of the last including driving the points back into the surface thereof; finishing the last; and thereafter lifting said points.

10. A method of making an insole retaining last comprising the making of a plate to fit the toe of the last with points set out from the surface of the plate; securing the same on the. last; forming it as a part of the last including driving the points back into the surface thereof; finishing the last; and thereafter lifting said points, and inserting props under the lifted points.

11. A last having a spur or spurs rigidly arranged at the edge of the bottom of its toe portion with forward and side faces of the spur or spurs sufficiently steep to pierce and to resist longitudinal and transverse shift of the sole, and with its or their rear faces having a sufficiently gentle slope to facilitate its or their withdrawal as a unit with the last over the surfaces of the solo.

Signed at Boston, Massachusetts, this twenty-third day of January, 1920.

HARRY T. WRIGHT. WALTER A. BROWVN. 

